Monday, June 28, 2010

Walker to DL, Stammen recalled

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Tyler Walker said his shoulder had been bothering him for almost two weeks.

ATLANTA -- The Nationals placed reliever Tyler Walker on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation following tonight's game, clearing space for Craig Stammen to be recalled from Class AAA Syracuse and start tomorrow's game against the Braves.

Walker, who hadn't pitched in nine days, said he first began feeling shoulder pain during a multiple-inning appearance June 15 in Detroit. "The next day I could barely lift my arm," he said.

An MRI revealed inflammation of the AC joint in his throwing shoulder, but no structural damage. He's due to fly home to Washington tomorrow to receive a cortisone shot. The club believes he'll be ready to return after the minimum 15 days of DL time are complete.

"It's a bit begrudgingly that I do it," the 34-year-old said. "But it's an opportunity to get it feeling good for the rest of the season. That's the main goal: Get back out there as soon as possible."

Walker is 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA in 24 relief appearances this season, most of them coming with the Nationals trailing. He posted a 1.29 ERA over his last 10 games, holding opponents to a .224 batting average.

Stammen flew to Atlanta earlier today and will return to the Nats' rotation tomorrow after a brief, three-week stint in the minors. He was optioned to Syracuse on June 6 when the club needed to clear space for Stephen Strasburg but pitched well in three starts for the Chiefs, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and issuing only three walks in 20 innings.

That one is certainly a shocker to me. Just shows how little we actually know as fans on the outside looking in. There have been some situations where I've wondered why Batista was getting high leverage innings over Walker lately. Now I know.

Off topic -- anyone remember last week when some of our esteemed commentators were complaining that our players were too "nice", and that they needed the "fire" of someone like Pudge?

Now, did anyone notice tonight how friendly Pudge was to his opposition? He helped the second baseman who tagged him out get up; he patted the head of the guy who he tagged out at home; he joked with the first baseman when he got on base . . . .

We should be expecting folks to jump on Pudge's case any minute now, eh?

@SunshineFree agency, a tough union that wins strikes, and big bucks have all made the players closer to each other than to the teams and owners. Can't really blame them but so much, I suppose. It's a better life now and you wish there was more competitive fire.

BTW, as far as Stammen goes, NatsJournal noted: "In three starts for Syracuse, Stammen went 2-0 and allowed five earned runs in 20 innings, a 2.25 ERA, while walking three and striking out 10. In his second start, Stammen came within one out of throwing a seven-inning no-hitter."

Between that and it'd be Stammen's turn tomorrow anyway -- might as well . . . give him another turn to show what he might be able to do while Lannan is down on the farm and the other pitchers are on IR . . .

Predictions: Stammen will look good for a few innings, suffer a lapse or a bad defensive play and give up three or four runs in an inning and leave in the sixth, trailing, oh, 6-0. We do nothing against Lowe. Morgan starts in CF, leads off and goes 0-for-4. We've all seen this movie.

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About the Author

Mark Zuckerman has covered the Nationals since the franchise arrived in D.C. He's been a member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America since 2001 and is a Hall of Fame voter. Email mzuckerman@comcastsportsnet.com.